Bathtub water regulator



March 3, 1970 I w. M. EMERY' 3,

BATB'IUB WATER REGULATOR Filed Oct. 19, 1967 lNl/ENTOR United StatesPatent 3,497,878 BATHTUB WATER REGULATOR William M. Emery, 44 PittsfordWay, New Providence, NJ. Filed Oct. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 676,396 Int. Cl.E03c 1/244 US. Cl. 4-206 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A one-piececup or hat-like device sealable against nonfiat surfaces found adjacentto conventional over-flow bathtub controls and over-flow openings,capable of adjusting the maximum water height in the tub by bodilyrotation having sealing means including an outwardly extendingconcentric seal located at the juncture of the concentric wall of thecup and a rim extending therefrom and responsive to water pressurethereagainst while the device is in a substantially vertical position.

CROSS REFERENCE Reference is made to my Patent 3,221,347 of Dec. 7,1965, materially improved in my present invention.

BACKGROUND While the device shown in my previous patent functionedsatisfactorily under favorable flat surface conditions, its sealingqualities were not effective over a sufficient range of non-flatconditions necessary if it were to have general sale and widedistribution. My present invention solves this problem by providing twoconcentrically parallel sealing lips feathering outward. It accomplishesthe fundamental objects and purposes of my Patent 3,221,347 underpractically all conditions sealing itself to both slightly concave andconvex surfaces and this seal is not jeopardized by bodily rotationwhile in use to alter the maximum water height desired in the tub. Theconstruction of the seal of the previous patent was not suflicientlysensitive to render it self-sealing in response to the pressure of thewater alone thereagainst under conditions of use, thus involvingover-dependence on the suction means.

Other objects and their accomplishment will be obvious from orspecifically pointed out in the following specifications, claims anddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view from the inside or sealing side of one embodimentof my invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1 showing theclosure cap positioned over a conventional over-flow and drain controlbathtub fixture, and

FIG. 4 is a corner of FIG. 3 modified to show a port in a differentlocation.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a substantially one-piece molded plastic or rubberover-flow control device of sufficient depth to go over and enclose aconventional over-flow bathtub fixture 12, conventionally positioned inone of the upright walls 13 of the tub. The tub surface adjacent to thefixture 12 is seldom flat; usually irregular, often concave, althoughthe upper edge may be convex. There is no uniformity of surface evenwith tubs of the same manufacture and there is further variationaccording to the age and type of tub. The fixture 12 shown includes ahandle 14 which controls a drain in the bottom of the tub and a fixtureover-flow opening or port 15 in the lower part of the fixture.

My device 10 includes a cylindrical cup-shaped member formedsubstantially concentrically about a usually substantially horizontalaxis 99, the cup-shaped mem- 3,497,878 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 "ice berhaving a round end wall 21 and a generally concentric circumferentialwall 22 defining a cavity therein adapted to encompass the conventionalover-flow fixture 12, a substantially concentric rim 23 extendingoutward from the edge 24 of cup-shaped member 20 and also normal to axis99, and a concentric feather edged sealing lip 25 extending angularlyoutward from the inner edge 24 of cupshaped member 20 and underlying rim23, space being provided for lip 25 to flatten towards rim 23.

A port 30 is spaced from axis 99 and is located in circumferential wall22 or end wall 21 or both as shown in FIG. 4. A plurality of separatesuction cups 31 operable independently of each other are positioned onthe tub side 33 of rim 23 with feathered lips 32. A thin substantiallycircumferential sealing edge 34 for said rim 23 extends generally normalto axis 99 and is positioned beyond suction cups 31. The outer sealingedge 34 in cooperation with said suction means 31 and said sealing lip25 completes the sealing of my total device 10 against the non-flatupright tub wall 13 when water in the tub presses thereagainst, the port30 being selectively indexed about axis 99 to determine the over-flowlevel of the tub.

Non-apparent obstacles which must be overcome incident to successfullymaking such a device integrally out of one piece of semiflexiblematerial include the providing of self-adjusting sealing against anon-fiat tub wall which varies from tub-to-tub and in tubs of differentages and manufacture; secondly, the sealing conditions against anon-flat surface will vary as the device is rotated about its axis whilein use to change the position of the port to vary the water height;thirdly, the opposed relative stilfv ness of one section such as thecircumferential cup wall 22 in a direction parallel to axis 99 and itsrelative flexibility at right angles thereto when joined to the rimsection 23 at edge 24 which section is oppositely relatively stiff atright angles to the axis 99 and relatively flexible to forcesparalleling axis 9-9; and fourthly, any distortion due to material,water pressure, suction means or cups in rim 23 could effect the sealingqualities of a onepiece device. To overcome these obstacles the uniquefeatures of my present invention such as outwardly extending featheredsealing lips 25 located adjacent to the juncture of wall 22 and rim 23at circular edge 24 encircled by other concentric seals such as 34 allwith their lips feathered outwardly to become self-sealing when waterpressure is exerted externally thereagainst are essential.

In this specification and the claims which follow by outwardly I mean ina direction away from axis 9-9.

The most important seal is 25 which by itself or with only thepositioning aid of suction means will do a fair job. In fact, oncepositioned and with the tub filled with water covering the majority ofmember 20, just the seals 25 and 34 will do a fair job without anysuction means. Operating under all conditions as outlined, at least twoconcentrically parallel seals with outwardy extending feathered edgesand intermediate suctions means acting in concert therewith creates amost unique and effective combination which I feel essential for anyintegral device such as I have described.

Accordingly, I claim:

1. An over-flow control device to adjustably determine the over-flowlevel within a limited range in a conventional tub which has anover-flow fixture in one of its upright walls, said control device beingmade substantially in one piece, comprising a substantially cylindricalcup-shaped member formed concentrically about an axis substantiallyhorizontal when in use, said cup-shaped member having a first round endwall and a second circumferential wall defining a cavity therein capableof encompassing said over-flow fixture, a port spaced from said axis inat least one of said first and second walls, and a substantially flatrim extending outwardly from the edge of said concentric cup-shapedmember substantially normal to said axis and spaced from said uprightwall and a concentric tapered sealing lip tapering angularly outwardfrom the inner edge of said cup-shaped member and of said rim underlyingsaid rim; said sealing lip contacting and providing an annular sealagainst said one upright tub wall adjacent to said over-flow fixturewhen water in said tub presses thereagainst, said port being selectivelyindexable about said axis.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is suction meansformed beyond said concentric sealing lip in the tub contacting side ofsaid rim to initially position said concentric sealing lip against saidtub wall with the device selectively indexed about its axis.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a thinsubstantially circumferential sealing edge for said rim extendingsubstantially nomal to said axis concentrically beyond said concentricsealing lip to supplement the seal thereof.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are in said rim twoconcentric seals both tapering outwardly, including said sealing lips, aplurality of separate and in dependent suction cup means locatedtherebetween.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein there is a thincircumferential sealing edge for said rim extending 4 substantiallynormal to said axis concentrically beyond said concentric sealing lip,said sealing edge in cooperation with said suction means and saidsealing lip completing the seal of said total device against said oneupright tub wall, said port being selectively indexed about said axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 328,354 10/1885 Stears 42061,235,387 7/1917 Serper 4206 1,262,545 4/ 1918 Mueller 4-206 1,281,22210/ 1918 Stepanchak 4-206 1,531,322 3/1925 Waechter 4206 2,398,9214/1946 Cook 4206 3,221,347 12/1965 Emery 4206 FOREIGN PATENTS 762,406 1/1934 France.

351,379 2/ 1961 Switzerland.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner

